Football
Adriana Garcia 5y

Lionel Messi will play for Argentina again - Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has said Lionel Messi will play for Argentina again despite not having appeared for them since the World Cup defeat to France.

Argentina were without Messi for the friendly win against Guatemala and the 0-0 draw with Colombia, while he will miss the games against Iraq and Brazil later this month.

"If Messi doesn't go to the national team, he can be more rested for Barcelona," Valverde told Fox Sports Argentina.

"But we know that he wants to go to the national team, and he will go. The best news for Barcelona is, if Messi goes to the national team, that he is happy, and that is what we want to happen.

"We want him to do well wherever he is, and what he wants is to do many things with the Argentina national team."

Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia said recently that he had no doubt Messi would play for the national team again.

But interim Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said earlier this week that Messi had not indicated when or if he would play for his country again.

Messi has scored 65 goals in 128 appearances since making his Argentina debut in August 2005.

The 31-year-old has eight goals in six appearances for Barca and will be in action at Tottenham in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Spurs' Erik Lamela saying he hoped his Argentina teammate did not steal the show.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has urged his players to enjoy playing against Messi.

But Lamela said: "I hope we don't enjoy him, because it means he will do well in the game. I hope he does well -- but I hope Tottenham win the game.

"Everyone knows what he is. He's the best player in the world, and it'll be nice to play against him.

"I've only played against him in training. In training it's different -- we take care of our players and in the internationals we're friends so we don't train against each other too hard.

"We need to be focused on their whole team, not just Messi. But of course with Messi we need to take double care because he's so dangerous."

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